The DnD Gods: A Complete Guide for 2024
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Since the earliest days of Dungeons & Dragons the gods have been an important part of gameplay, shaping both the vast lore of the multiverse and the rules that govern divine powers for players, NPCs, monsters and magic items.
With the new DnD 2024 rules now upon us, the role of deities is more important than ever. Yet surprisingly, the 2024 Player’s Handbook barely mentions the gods. And while it’s possible we’ll learn more in the upcoming 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide, we thought it might be helpful to get a head start and break out some of the most important DnD deities from the older editions as well as the worlds of the Forgotten Realms, Greyhawk, Dragonlance and Eberron.
So grab your holy symbol and prepare to receive a boon of knowledge as we dig into the all the divine details.
Table of Contents
- Gods and Domains
- Gods and Alignments
- Forgotten Realms Gods
- Greyhawk Gods
- Dragonlance Gods
- Eberron Gods
- Other DnD Gods
- Final Thoughts
Gods and Domains
In DnD, each deity is associated with a specific Domain that represents the powers they exert on the mortal planes of existence. For example, a god of the harvest might be associated with the Life Domain, while a god of thieves would be represented by the Trickery Domain. In terms of gameplay, Domains are subclasses that Clerics choose which grant unique abilities and spells. In the 2014 rules, Clerics chose their Domain at Level 1 from one of the following 14 options: Arcana, Death, Forge, Grave, Knowledge, Life, Light, Nature, Order, Peace, Tempest, Trickery, Twilight and War.
In the new DnD 2024 rules, however, Clerics now choose their Domain at Level 3 with only four base options: Life, Light, Trickery and War (all of which have been slightly modified from their 2014 versions). While as a Cleric you can choose any Domain you wish, it should make sense narratively with the deity you choose to worship. For example, if you follow a god of music and song it would be unlikely that you would choose the Death Domain as your subclass (although you can always work with your Dungeon Master to fit in a Domain into your character’s backstory).
Gods and Alignments
The DnD alignment chart has been a key part of the game since it was first created. And while many fans thought that Wizards of the Coast might do away with it in the 2024 rules, it is in fact alive and well, with some slight alterations that reflect changing views on morality. For example, the new DnD Orcs are no longer considered a Chaotic Evil race, with the species instead reflecting a variety of different moral views.
And while most players consider alignment something that only applies to characters, monsters and NPCs, it’s also something that applies directly to the gods, with each deity having a specific alignment. This is especially important if you’re playing a Cleric or Paladin, as you’ll likely want to follow a god who shares a similar alignment to you.
Forgotten Realms Gods
The Forgotten Realms remains one of the most popular DnD campaign settings, having appeared in almost every edition of the game and remaining the primary world in fifth edition. The setting will also be a major part of DnD 2024 rules, with two new Forgotten Realms sourcebooks coming out that further explore the people, places and gods of Faerûn. In the meantime, below is a list of some of the most important Forgotten Realms deities.
Deity | Portfolio | Alignment | Cleric Domain |
---|---|---|---|
Auril | Goddess of winter | NE | Nature, Tempest |
Azuth | God of wizards | LN | Knowledge |
Bane | God of tyranny | LE | War |
Beshaba | Goddess of misfortune | CE | Trickery |
Bhaal | God of murder | NE | Death |
Chauntea | Goddess of agriculture | NG | Life |
Cyric | God of lies | CE | Trickery |
Deneir | God of writing | NG | Knowledge |
Eldath | Goddess of peace | NG | Life, Nature |
Gond | God of craft | N | Knowledge |
Helm | God of protection | LN | Life, Light |
Ilmater | God of endurance | LG | Life |
Kelemvor | God of the dead | LN | Death |
Lathander | God of birth and renewal | NG | Life, Light |
Leira | Goddess of illusion | CN | Trickery |
Lliira | Goddess of joy | CG | Life |
Loviatar | Goddess of pain | LE | Death |
Malar | God of the hunt | CE | Nature |
Mask | God of thieves | CN | Trickery |
Mielikki | Goddess of forests | NG | Nature |
Milil | God of poetry and song | NG | Light |
Myrkul | God of death | NE | Death |
Mystra | Goddess of magic | NG | Knowledge |
Oghma | God of knowledge | N | Knowledge |
Savras | God of divination and fate | LN | Knowledge |
Selûne | Goddess of the moon | CG | Knowledge, Life |
Shar | Goddess of darkness and loss | NE | Death, Trickery |
Silvanus | God of wild nature | N | Nature |
Sune | Goddess of love and beauty | CG | Life, Light |
Talona | Goddess of disease and poison | CE | Death |
Talos | God of storms | CE | Tempest |
Tempus | God of war | N | War |
Torm | God of courage and self-sacrifice | LG | War |
Tymora | Goddess of good fortune | CG | Trickery |
Tyr | God of justice | LG | War |
Umberlee | Goddess of the sea | CE | Tempest |
Waukeen | Goddess of trade | N | Knowledge, Trickery |
Greyhawk Gods
One of the oldest DnD campaign settings, Greyhawk has not existed for multiple editions, appearing in dozens of Greyhawk novels and sourcebooks, but is returning as a sample campaign world in the 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide. Below are a few of the most iconic deities from Oerth.
Deity | Portfolio | Alignment | Cleric Domain |
---|---|---|---|
Beory | Goddess of nature | NG | Nature |
Boccob | God of magic | N | Knowledge, Arcana |
Celestian | God of stars and wanderers | NG | Knowledge, Twilight |
Ehlonna | Goddess of woodlands | NG | Nature, Life |
Erythnul | God of envy and slaughter | CE | War, Death |
Fharlanghn | God of horizons and travel | N | Knowledge, Trickery |
Heironeous | God of chivalry and war | LG | War, Light |
Hextor | God of war and discord | LE | War, Death |
Kord | God of strength and courage | CG | War, Order |
Incabulos | God of plague and famine | NE | Death, Trickery |
Istus | Goddess of fate and destiny | N | Knowledge, Trickery |
Iuz | God of pain and oppression | CE | Death, Trickery |
Nerull | God of death | NE | Death |
Obad-Hai | God of nature | N | Nature |
Olidammara | God of revelry and rogues | CN | Trickery |
Pelor | God of the sun and healing | NG | Life, Light |
Pholtus | God of light and law | LG | Light, Order |
Ralishaz | God of bad luck and insanity | CN | Trickery |
Rao | God of peace and reason | LG | Peace, Knowledge |
Saint Cuthbert | God of wisdom and truth | LG | Knowledge, War |
Tharizdun | God of eternal darkness | CE | Death, Trickery |
Trithereon | God of liberty and retribution | CG | War, Trickery |
Ulaa | Goddess of hills and mountains | LG | Nature, War |
Vecna | God of evil secrets | NE | Death, Knowledge |
Wee Jas | Goddess of magic and death | LN | Death, Arcana |
Dragonlance Gods
Another incredibly popular DnD world, Dragonlance has a seomwhat complicated relationship with gods after the pantheon essentially abandoned their followers in the wake of the Cataclysm. That being said, they remain a key part of the setting lore throughout past and present versions of Krynn.
Deity | Portfolio | Alignment | Cleric Domain |
---|---|---|---|
Branchala | God of music | CG | Life, Trickery |
Chemosh | God of the undead | LE | Death, Grave |
Chislev | Goddess of nature and instinct | N | Nature |
Gilean | God of knowledge | N | Knowledge |
Habbakuk | God of animal life and the sea | NG | Nature, Tempest |
Hiddukel | God of lies and greed | CE | Trickery |
Kiri-Jolith | God of honor and war | LG | War |
Lunitari | Goddess of neutral magic | N | Arcana, Trickery |
Majere | God of meditation and order | LG | Knowledge, Order |
Mishakal | Goddess of healing | NG | Life |
Morgion | God of disease and secrecy | NE | Death |
Nuitari | God of evil magic | LE | Arcana, Death |
Paladine | God of rulers and guardians | LG | War |
Reorx | God of craft and creation | N | Forge, Knowledge |
Sargonnas | God of vengeance and fire | LE | War |
Shinare | Goddess of wealth and trade | LN | Trickery |
Sirrion | God of alchemy and change | CN | Nature, Tempest |
Solinari | God of good magic | LG | Arcana |
Takhisis | Goddess of control and evil | LE | Trickery, War |
Zeboim | Goddess of the sea and storms | CE | Tempest |
Zivilyn | God of wisdom and insight | N | Knowledge |
Gods of Eberron
The world of Eberron is relatively new to Dungeons & Dragons and is one of the more unusual campaign settings. This is particularly evident in how deities are approached in the lands of Khorvaire, with some worshipped as omnipotent beings and others viewed more as arcane energies or unique philosophies. Below is a list of some of the key religions and gods of Eberron.
Deity/Philosophy | Portfolio | Alignment | Cleric Domain |
---|---|---|---|
The Sovereign Host | — | — | — |
Arawai | Goddess of life and nature | NG | Life, Nature |
Aureon | God of law and knowledge | LN | Knowledge, Order |
Balinor | God of beasts and the hunt | N | Nature, War |
Boldrei | Goddess of home and family | LG | Life, Order |
Dol Arrah | Goddess of sunlight and honor | LG | Light, War |
Dol Dorn | God of strength at arms | CG | War |
Kol Korran | God of trade and wealth | N | Trickery |
Olladra | Goddess of good fortune | NG | Trickery, Life |
Onatar | God of craft | NG | Forge, Knowledge |
The Dark Six | — | — | — |
The Devourer | God of nature’s wrath | NE | Tempest, Nature |
The Fury | Goddess of wrath and madness | NE | War, Madness |
The Keeper | God of greed and gluttony | NE | Death, Trickery |
The Mockery | God of violence and treachery | NE | War, Trickery |
The Shadow | God of corruption and dark magic | CE | Arcana, Trickery |
The Traveler | Deity of chaos and deception | CN | Trickery, Forge, Knowledge |
Other Faiths of Eberron | |||
The Silver Flame | Deity of protection and good | LG | Light, Peace |
The Blood of Vol | Philosophy of immortality | LN | Death, Arcana |
Cults of the Dragon Below | Deities of madness | NE | Death, Trickery |
The Path of Light | Philosophy of self-improvement | LN | Light, Knowledge |
The Undying Court | Elven ancestors | NG | Life, Death |
The Spirits of the Past | Elven ancestors | CG | War |
Other DnD Gods, Demi-Gods & Powers
In early days of DnD the gods weren’t necessarily associated with any one particular setting. This has changed over the years, with certain deities appearing in multiple campaign worlds. For example, the dark elf goddess Lolth, who first appeared in the Greyhawk setting, would eventually become a major part of the Forgotten Realms. Below is a list of deities, demi-gods and other powerful planar beings that have appeared in various DnD editions.
Deity | Portfolio | Alignment | Cleric Domain |
---|---|---|---|
Asmodeus | God of tyranny | LE | Knowledge, Order, Trickery |
Avandra | Goddess of change and luck | CG | Trickery |
Bahamut | Dragon god of justice and nobility | LG | Life, War |
Blibdoolpoolp | Goddess of kuo-toa | NE | Death, Nature |
Corellon Larethian | Elven god of art and magic | CG | Arcana, Nature |
Deep Sashelas | Elven god of the sea | CG | Nature, Knowledge, Tempest |
Eadro | God of merfolk | N | Tempest, Nature |
Eilistraee | Dark elf goddess of song and dance | CG | Life, Light, Nature |
Erathis | Goddess of civilization and law | LN | Knowledge, Forge |
Garl Glittergold | Gnomish god of luck and protection | LG | Trickery, Knowledge |
Grolantor | Giant god of hunting and battle | CE | War |
Gruumsh | Orc God of storms and war | CE | War, Tempest |
Hruggek | Bugbear god of violence | CE | War, Death |
Ioun | Goddess of knowledge | N | Knowledge |
Kurtulmak | Kobold god of pillaging | LE | War, Forge |
Laogzed | Troglodyte god of destruction | CE | Death, War |
Lolth | Dark elf goddess of spiders | CE | Trickery, War |
Maglubiyet | Goblin god of war | LE | War, Death |
Moradin | Dwarven god of creation | LG | Forge, Knowledge |
Raven Queen | Goddess of death | LN | Life, Death |
Rillifane Rallathil | Elven god of nature | CG | Nature, Life |
Sehanine Moonbow | Elven goddess of the moon | CG | Light, Trickery |
Sekolah | Sahuagin god of hunting | LE | War, Nature |
Semuanya | Lizardfolk god of survival | N | Nature, Survival |
Skerrit | Centaur god of nature | N | Nature |
Skoraeus Stonebones | Giant god of craftsmanship | N | Knowledge, Forge |
Surtr | Giant god of fire and crafting | LE | Forge, War |
Thrym | Giant god of ice and war | CE | War, |
Tiamat | Dragon goddess of greed | LE | Trickery, War |
Torog | God of death and the Underdark | NE | Death |
Yondalla | Halfling goddess of protection | LG | Life, Peace |
Zehir | God of darkness and poison | CE | Trickery, Death |
Final Thoughts
While DnD has literally hundreds of deities to choose from across multiple campaign settings, that doesn’t mean they’re the only options. In fact, many Dungeon Master’s have created their own unique pantheons for their homebrew worlds. That being said, the official DnD gods that do exist offer a ton of inspiration to draw on and can help flesh out your characters in terms of both backstory and abilities. So choose wisely. Because when it comes to Dungeons & Dragons, you really are what your worship.
You can find more about about the latest DnD gods in the 2024 Player’s Handbook, which is available now on D&D Beyond and Amazon.
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